The 18th Gotham Independent Film Awards (renamed from the Gotham Awards) will be held Dec. 2 at Cipriani Wall Street.

While the Gothams remain a popular fixture on the film biz’s fall calendar, questions of identity have nagged recent editions. Just as the indie film world itself has undergone major shifts, the Gothams’ focus has swung from studio fare like “The Departed” and “Marie Antoinette” to last year’s little-seen top winner “Great Wall of Sound.”

“Ballast,” released Oct. 1 under Hammer’s Alluvial Film Co. banner, has grossed $33,043 in the U.S.

The six Gotham categories this year recognize 22 nominees, the result of voting by 18 critics, journalists and programmers.

“Contradicting the doom and gloom stories about the state of independent film, 2008 has proven to be an extremely strong year for an immensely diverse group of filmmakers,” said IFP exec director Michelle Byrd. Nearly half of the nominated pics were directed by first-timers, she noted.